


A Piece Of Home

by Whiteasy



Series: Treasured Shards Of Home [1]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, Insomnia, Sharing a Bed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-15
Updated: 2020-06-15
Packaged: 2021-03-03 18:54:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,481
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24740362
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Whiteasy/pseuds/Whiteasy
Summary: Annie has been struggling to fall asleep for some time now. But she never expected where or rather, with whom slumber would finally claim her body.
Relationships: Annie Leonhart/Pieck
Series: Treasured Shards Of Home [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1792081
Comments: 6
Kudos: 30





	A Piece Of Home

**Author's Note:**

> This is set in an alternate narrative where the trio on Paradis makes it back safely to Marley.

At some point in the night, Annie realized that she could no longer stand the sound of her bedsheets rustling, as she kept switching from side to side atop her mattress, unable to get some proper sleep. She had specifically avoided drinking any coffee that warchief Zeke had made for them in the afternoon, his snide remark about her being “ _as cold as he had always known her to be_ ” falling on deaf ears. Ever since Annie had made it back to Marley, unscathed and alive, she had been having trouble sleeping. The last time she got a proper shut-eye was when she went back to Liberio a month ago. Despite her old bed feeling slightly cramped for her – yes, she hadn’t grown that taller, unlike the way Bertholdt, Reiner and to a lesser extent, Porco, shot up but, she was definitely bigger than she used to be – slumber easily claimed her drained body when her nose was met with the refreshing smell of clean sheets, which her father took great care in washing in anticipation for her return, every single day ever since she left. A piece of home she had dreamed about for years, for nights on end, in that secluded, cursed island. 

_It was because I knew you’d come home,_ her father had reassured her softly, his voice cracking uncharacteristically. Annie had to still her face from crumbling and bursting into ugly sobs. She had already made a fool of herself when she fell into her old man’s arms, tears flowing in streams down her face, as soon as she saw his small frame limping towards her, face contorted in abject disbelief that she was standing there, breathing and very much alive. 

Alas, that moment of utter happiness and sheer bliss didn’t last. They were soon called back to headquarters again to prepare for an upcoming war with an enemy country. Annie left her childhood home and her father begrudgingly because, she was still The Female Titan and, had a duty to fulfill. 

Yet, even that peaceful night that she finally had after years of longing, didn’t help easing her into sleep for the following weeks. She desperately tried to hang onto the sense of content that had engulfed her on those memorable hours a month ago, in an attempt to quell her rising anxiety and the dread that settled in the pit of her stomach whenever she thought about the looming war and the people she would have to kill to protect the one who’s dear to her, to no avail. 

No matter how much she tried, she couldn’t stop thinking about it. 

No matter how much she wanted, she couldn’t turn off her brain and just sleep. 

Annie couldn’t tell how long has it been since she had first climbed into her bed in her room in the headquarters but, she doubted it wouldn’t be hours since she had started trying to rest. The knowledge would’ve only made her hyperventilate, anyway. 

She briefly debated whether or not she should reach for the bottle of red wine which was sitting underneath her desk. She had swiped the spirits' bottle some days ago from some high-ranking officers’ dinner table, when they weren’t paying attention. It had earned her a raised eyebrow from Porco but, he said nothing about it. He hadn’t brought it up later, neither. 

Deciding to throw caution to the wind, she swung her legs over the edge of the mattress before she stalked toward her desk in order to retrieve the required item. 

For some reason, Annie was struck with the realization that she didn’t want to be alone now, let alone drink on her own. So, she pondered which one of her warrior colleagues she could share with a drink or two. 

A quick look at the clock hung on the wall told her that none of her peers would be awake at two in the morning. Except for one. 

Reiner. 

No.

He was most likely awake at this hour of the night, Annie believed he would be since he was the only one whose tired expression and dark bags under his eyes mirrored hers, but she didn’t want to drink with him or talk to him. They have never been that close anyway, for reasons she didn’t want to think about now, lest she got even angrier and hyper agitated, thus making her chances to get some rest switch from slim to none. 

Plus, she doubted Reiner would accept her offer anyway. He didn’t talk much these days, since they were back in Marley. Not to her, not to anyone, not even to Bertholdt. 

The latter was also out of the equation, because he would be out like a light at this hour. 

Porco, well, they weren’t close and she had never taken a liking to his brash personality. He was Marcel’s brother but, they were nothing alike. 

That left her with Pieck. 

Pieck could be asleep but, for some reason Annie couldn’t grasp, she doubted the raven-haired girl would send her away. The thought of Pieck being so heartless was ridiculous to Annie. 

So, she decided to take her chances and knock on her colleague’s wooden door at the end of the hallway. Annie swung the wine bottle back and forth in her hand, wincing when it slammed against her bare knee. 

Annie knew she should’ve trudged back to her room and knocked a glass of two of the red liquid down her throat at the lack of answer behind the other side of the door. But she was too tired, inexplicably lonely and upset to consider her ego. So, she weakly pushed the door in front of her open, the creaking noise it made with the motion sounding ten folds louder in the eerie silence of the corridor. 

Annie fidgeted on her feet, feeling suddenly ridiculous, when she took in the girl’s small frame curled underneath the thin blanket. It was her last chance to forget all about this and head back to her own bed but, Annie was adamant on having someone other than her own self to talk to, or at least, be with her. 

“Pieck.” Annie whispered. She tiptoed toward her bed before she hunched forward, hovering above the dark-haired girl’s oblivious face. 

She looked so...peaceful. Innocent even. Annie swallowed the growing lump in her throat when she thought how someone who looked just short of an angel took lives, just like she did. 

“Pieck.” Annie whispered again, before she shook her colleague’s shoulder gently. 

“Annie?” Pieck croaked, voice heavy with sleep. “What are you doing here?” She asked, rising slightly and resting her upper body on her forearm. 

“Um, I uh – do you want to drink with me? I’ve got some good red wine; thought I’d share with you.” Annie’s hands were suddenly clammy – what the hell was she even thinking? She couldn’t just walk to someone’s bed and rouse them from their sleep just to get wasted! 

“It’s the middle of the night.” Pieck shoulders slumped.

“So?” Annie shrugged, willing her voice to sound as nonchalant as she could. 

“Annie. What’s going on?" Pieck’s voice was soft yet, undoubtedly laced with worry. It took Annie off guard. 

She couldn’t lie to her face. She didn’t deserve that. 

“I can’t sleep.” Annie blurted before she could stop herself “Haven’t been able to since we came back from Liberio.” 

“So, you thought you should drink yourself to oblivion, with me.” Even tired and groggy from sleep, Pieck’s tone was still playful. Teasing even. 

“Basically.” Annie shrugged again. 

“Come here.” Annie raised an eyebrow when Pieck moved back toward the opposing wall, patting the spot next to her on her bed. 

“Um.” 

“We’re not drinking ourselves to sleep. Neither of us need that.” Pieck raised the blanket as if to reinforce her statement. 

Annie nodded weakly before she set the bottle she was clutching down on the cold floor. She tentatively climbed on the old mattress, faintly registering it creaking under both of their weights when she was soon met with the welcoming warmth of Pieck’s bed. 

“Comfy?” Pieck asked, eyes already drooping. 

“Comfy.” Annie replied, voice barely above a whisper. 

However, Annie didn’t think she could sleep. Not yet. Yes, she was far more comfortable than she was in her own room. But it didn’t make her feel relaxed enough to fall asleep. 

Annie was squirming uncomfortably in her own side of the bed, before she almost yelped when a gentle arm rounded her back. She momentarily relaxed when Pieck’s hand started rubbing soothing circles on her shoulders. Annie couldn’t stop her body from sliding forward toward her companion, sighing in content when she instinctively inhaled the smell of lavender soap that coated the girl’s skin. 

The last thing Annie remembered was the tender press of Pieck’s lips on her forehead, before she drifted into dreamless sleep. 


End file.
